Mass Mayhem
by Universitas
Summary: 100 drabbles in 20 weeks exploring Victor Shepard and his crew. Week 20: Both of them are determined to finish the mission. And both of them are determined to come out on the other side. Together. *M!Shepard/Joker*
1. Victor Shepard: Earthborn

**Mass Mayhem**_  
by Universitas_

This is my latest attempt at the Ultimate Drabble Challenge on the Jedi Council Forums. My last one, _Minute Mayhem_, didn't turn out so well; I stopped just before the halfway point. For those of you who don't know what the hell the UDC entails, it goes like this: 20 sets of 5 drabbles (100 words each) in 20 weeks. Each and every drabble (save for 10 of them) has a set specific phrase or word used as the prompt.

For _Mass Mayhem_, each week will have a specific theme as well, chosen by me. This week introduces Victor Shepard, the Paragade (75/25), Earthborn, War Hero, and Infiltrator.

I do not own _Mass Effect_. BioWare and EA do.

* * *

**Part 1: Victor Shepard – Earthborn  
**_Every hero begins his story with the loss of family. Victor Shepard is no exception, though what he lost wasn't a family in the traditional sense._

**1. Flash in the Pan**

"I've almost got it."

"Got what?"

Victor, seated on a close trash can, stroked his chin, then entered a few more strings of code into the stolen omni-tool. "I'm trying to rewrite the security protocols on this thing so I can use it." He looked up at Jake with a small grin. "Then I'll be able to do some real hacking. This thing is our ticket to swimming in credits."

The omni-tool's security—firewalls or something like that—was easy to crack. Victor had to smile; he had learned from the best, after all.

_Crack. _The device sputtered and died.

"Dammit."

**2. Out on a Limb**

A fresh wave of pain crashed through Victor's body. He weakly clutched the gunshot wound on his side and pressed his back against the alley's wall.

Damn the Fangs, damn the Fangs, damn the Fangs. And damn his own carelessness at getting shot, too. The Reds had left him to die.

Another surge, but no scream. Victor's voice had given out long before.

As his vision started to blur, he vaguely felt something lift his unresponsive body. And just as he succumbed to blackness, he heard a familiar voice from what seemed like miles away. "You think I'd leave you?"

**3. Out of the Blue**

Victor opened his eyes to a blurred gray world, half believing he was dead until he realized that he was at the Reds hideout.

Jake approached his bedside. "How're you feeling?"

The memory of the wound hit Victor like another bullet. He weakly raised his head; bandages—medi-gel was reserved for the leader—covered the spot. Victor turned his head to Jake. "Been better."

"That's all you have to say?" The sudden emotion in Jake's voice stunned Victor into full awareness. "Dammit, don't get shot again."

All of a sudden, Jake grabbed the sides of Victor's head and kissed him.

**4. Wet behind the Ears**

"_If Finch ever gives a thumbs-up, that means the deal's off. That's your cue to shoot the fucker. As many times as you need to until he's dead,"_ Jake had said.

So Victor just waited from his spot on the roof, eager for Finch to give the signal, not questioning a pistol's ability to nail a target from a distance. But when the thumb came up, when Victor's index lingered on the trigger…

He wasn't sure if it was fear of actually pulling it, knowing that someone would die, or fear of accidentally hitting Finch.

But he couldn't do it.

**5. Heat of the Moment**

Finch smirked. "When word gets out, everyone will know what kind of person the first human Spectre really—"

"Shut up."

Jake's voice echoed in Victor's mind. _"__We don't want pussies who piss themselves instead of pulling the damn trigger…"_

It was a past he did not want to remember, and Finch had made the fatal error of showing up to remind him. With an almost animalistic growl, Victor slammed the man into the walls of Chora's Den, rammed his pistol between Finch's eyes, and pulled the trigger.

Nobody turned to look as the fresh corpse slid to the floor.

* * *

Next week: Ashley Williams - Possibilities.

Let me know what you think; please drop a review!


	2. Ashley Williams: Possibilities

This week dips into a few ME1 and pre-ME1 moments centered around Ashley.

Oh, and I should probably make this clear: Victor has the default Sheploo appearance.

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* * *

**

**Part 2: Ashley Williams – Possibilities  
**_From beginning to end, her life switched from impossibilities to absolutes and back again._

**6. Impossible**

Ash had never been more excited to be off-duty for a long while.

Streams of text blinked in and out of sight on the console's holographic screen. Her fingers hammered at the haptic interface, entering the name, the extranet address, and every other tedious bit of information.

Finally, the live feed appeared. "Hey, Dad. I have good news for you."

"_By the look on your face, it's great news."_

"You bet. Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams, reporting for duty."

Ash received a silent salute from light-years away. The proud glint in Dad's eyes told her everything: she had achieved the impossible.

**7. Unlikely**

_Now._ Ashley rushed out into the open, prepared to reduce the geth to scraps. Instead, a slug lanced over head and struck it square in the flashlight. Its companion joined it.

She whirled around: two Alliance soldiers, one with a red stripe on his right arm—the officer in charge.

"Thanks for the help, sir," she said. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212."

Commander _Victor Shepard_—of all people—asked her all about the attack. As she explained, she couldn't help but remember Bhatia's words from just a few hours before.

"_It's unlikely that anyone would attack Eden Prime."_

**8. Reasonable**

"_Get to know Wrex."_ Shepard made a reasonable request. Well, it sounded reasonable. But as always, easier said than done. All she ever got out of Wrex was a "Williams."

Until a stop at Flux. A drunken patron shoved himself an inch from her face. "Hey, sweetie, nice soldier get-up."

A thud from her left. Shepard had passed out after six shots.

One inch became a half-inch. A half-inch became five feet by slamming her forehead into his face. Wrex's gravelly chuckling drew her attention. "Been a while since I've seen a good head-butt."

It was a start, at least.

**9. Probable**

"_I saw al-Jilani's story on Commander Shepard the other day. He's good-looking _and_ a good speaker."_

"The way you talk about him, Sar, _you_ should be here, not me," Ash said, chuckling. "You know, Shepard overheard our last conversation. The one where you called him 'cute?'"

_"That must've been embarrassing."_

"No kidding. He didn't mind, though. I think he's a bit jealous of me having a family. He grew up in the streets."

_"I think that's your ticket into his heart. Show him the _benefits_ of family life."_

Ash resisted the urge to burst out laughing. "He's… probably not interested."

**10. Definite**

Ashley grunted as another slug pierced her hardsuit, adding to the countless wounds that wracked her body with pain. A relentless volley tore through one of the last salarians in her unit.

Once the enemy fire paused, she forced herself out of cover and unleashed hell from her rifle. The geth on the receiving end of her attack hadn't touched the ground when the _Normandy_—with Shepard and Alenko aboard—soared off into Virmire's blue sky. She smiled; Shepard had made the right choice.

The white fire that consumed her world allowed her one last thought: _Shepard _will_ stop Saren.

* * *

_

Next week: Commander and Pilot.  
One of them can nail a target a hundred meters away. The other can't fire a sniper rifle without fracturing his elbow.

As that suggests, I'm delving into the Victor/Joker (b)romance next week. Stay tuned, and please let me know how you think I'm doing, especially with the 100-word limit on everything.


	3. Commander and Pilot: Origin

Here's Week 3, focusing on Joker and Victor's (for now) bromance. **ME2 SPOILER WARNING** for the fifth drabble, for those of you who haven't played.

* * *

**Part 3: Commander and Pilot  
**_One of them can nail a target a hundred meters away. The other can't fire a sniper rifle without fracturing his elbow._

**11. Truth**

"So… N7 graduate, Hero of Elysium, Hero of Eden Prime, first human Spectre…. keep at it, Commander. All of this is going into my resume."

"Using my reputation for your own gain, huh?" Shepard leaned on the metal dividing Joker's station from the others.

"Nah. It'd go more like… 'I saved _the _Commander Shepard's ass from an exploding volcano on Therum.' To tell you the truth, Commander, I still think I deserve a medal for that one."

Shepard, chuckling softly and shaking his head, started off. "To tell you the truth, Joker, you're an ass."

Joker allowed himself a smirk.

**12. Trust**

When the Armali Flame whisky scorched every cell in his throat on the way down, Joker wondered how the hell it was Shepard's favorite drink. He slammed the shot glass on the impromptu table at the helm, hacking and coughing. Damn Ashley and her birthday presents.

He looked up. In the time it took him to down one shot, Shepard had downed three. "Commander… how do you…" He winced at the lingering burning sensations.

Shepard slumped back in his chair and slid the red bottle across the table. "Have another."

"Uh…"

"You'll get used to it." He smirked. "Trust me."

**13. Honor**

"Grounded and unable to do anything about it," Victor said as he entered the cockpit. "Ash didn't give her life for _this._"

Joker looked over his shoulder. "You've been thinking about her a lot."

"She died with honor. She died so we could stop the Reapers." His tone rose with each word. "Ash's memory deserves better." Victor returned his gaze to Joker. "Sorry for whining."

"No worries. Every other superior officer's vented at me already." Joker reached under his station. "Here's an idea." Victor's eyebrows shot upwards at the red bottle Joker set beside him. "We drink to her memory."

**14. Loyalty**

Victor watched the Citadel grow more and more distant on the observation monitor. "If this doesn't work, how high will Grand Theft Warship be on the list of charges?"

"That sounds like something I would say."

"Guess you're rubbing off on me." Victor glanced down the main corridor. "I'm still surprised everyone's gone along with it."

"Why wouldn't we? We're your crew, Commander, not the Council's."

His crew. Victor hadn't considered the implications of that notion until now.

His crew.

"Thanks. Maybe I needed to hear that." His gaze lingered on Joker for a few moments, then he stepped out.

**15. Love**

"Shepard!"

The escape shuttle's doors slid shut, leaving Victor drifting through the crumbling remains of the _Normandy_. Better him than Joker.

Soundless explosions interrupted his thoughts, slamming him against metal, cracking his armor. Soon enough, the gargantuan vessel's final assault ripped the _Normandy_ apart. Victor remained, floating helplessly through space.

Breathing grew harder; the heat of Alchera's atmosphere pressed against him. But Victor felt oddly at peace. His eyes remained fixed on that distant shuttle, his thoughts on the man inside it.

He ran out of air. The faint heat became burning fire. Victor Shepard closed his eyes and surrendered.

* * *

Next week: Victor Shepard - Enlistment.  
Before the Spectre, before the hero of Elysium, before the N7 graduate, there was a new recruit fresh out of Earth's slums.

The next week fills in the gaps between the "Earthborn" part of Victor's background and the "War Hero" part.


	4. Victor Shepard: Enlistment

Part 2 of Victor's background story (Part 1 being "Earthborn" and Part 3 being "War Hero").

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* * *

Part 4: Victor Shepard – Enlistment  
**_Before the Spectre, before the hero of Elysium, before the N7 graduate, there was a new recruit fresh out of Earth's slums._

**16. Gaze**

"_Pussies who piss themselves…"_

A sudden shuddering of the transport forced Victor's eyes open. The voice of the driver rang through the passenger hold. "Attention recruits: we will be arriving at the Alliance training facility in thirty minutes."

He glanced around. Men and women just his age and a few older ones lined the crowded hold. Most looked to be from "society's better half," as his old gang leader—the one before _him—_once said. A head of short dirty blonde hair caught his attention. _"You think I'd leave you?"_

Victor tore his gaze away and let his eyes close.

**17. Wink**

"Every marine a rifleman, every rifleman zero-gee certified."

Victor ran a hand along his shaven scalp, then laid his head on the pillow. This night, he felt especially lucky to have the top bunk, though he wished the dull gray roof was somehow transparent.

The coming morning would bring the start of zero-gravity training. The thought of leaving Earth—leaving the Reds and everything else about the past—behind stirred up the same excitement Victor had felt after DI Morne's initial announcement earlier in the day.

He closed his eyes. A million stars winked at him from beyond the roof.

**18. Distance**

"Shepard. After considering several recommendations from your superiors, you have been selected to undergo the N7 training program."

For a moment, Victor wondered if Captain Whitwell had the wrong guy.

N7. He'd heard about it: N meant special forces, 7 was the highest level. Someone thought Victor was somehow good enough for it.

"Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive your first posting and a promotion, potentially even an officer's commission. You should feel honored, Shepard."

"Yes, ma'am."

He had enlisted to distance himself from the Reds. This N7 training put a light-year between him and the past.

**19. Cold as Ice**

Deep breath. In, out. Aim. Fire.

A hundred meters away, the target holo's head flared at the point of the slug's impact: square in the head, right between the eyes. Another image appeared nearby. Victor repeated the same procedure, but faster.

Again. Breathe. Aim. Fire. Pause. Breathe. Aim. Fire. Faster. Faster.

Rapid beeps broke his focus. He looked away from the scope. "Dammit," he muttered. Victor had overheated the rifle again. Exhaling, he checked the simulation data: twelve headshots in twenty seconds, each one a cold, precisely calculated strike.

The way it had to be.

Victor stood and walked off.

**20. Eternal Flame**

Second Lieutenant Victor Shepard.

Imagine the looks on the Reds' faces if they ever found out. Just four years ago, he was the scared kid who cost the gang a huge weapons deal. Now, he was the hardened marine who mastered the sniper rifle and the military omni-tool.

Not bad, not bad at all.

But they didn't need to know. Victor Shepard had moved far beyond an Earth gang, all through his own skill and determination. Better just to forget them entirely.

He didn't want to waste his shore leave on Elysium, after all.

"Not done yet. Gimme another shot."

* * *

Next week: Urdnot Wrex - Resignation.  
He left Tuchanka, resigned to the fate of his people - to die a slow, painful, and pathetic death.

Wrex was my favorite ME1 squadmate. Not only did he complement Victor perfectly on the battlefield (tech/combat and biotic/combat, pistol/sniper and AR/shotgun), he had some of the best lines. I'm definitely looking forward to writing next week's drabbles.

And kudos to anyone who could figure out the fictional character reference from "Distance."

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.


	5. Urdnot Wrex: Resignation

Week 5 - Pre-ME1 peeks into Wrex's story. Drabble 21 was inspired by the ME2 Blur trailer. Also, it's probably the only week that doesn't mention Victor Shepard in any way, shape, or form.

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* * *

Part 5: Urdnot Wrex – Resignation  
**_He left Tuchanka, resigned to the fate of his people - to die a slow, painful, and pathetic death._

**21. Steps**

Earthquakes and thunder heralded the creature's arrival. It wasted no time with him, already moving in for the kill.

He smirked. Loud, but predictable.

As the gaping, pit-like maw drew closer, the very veins became all-too apparent. He planted one foot in the dust and jumped off into a backward leap.

His barrier held long enough for him to pull the trigger.

The beast exploded in a rain of blood and guts. The darkness that had engulfed him moments before gave way to Tuchanka's dusty sunlight.

Urdnot Wrex gazed at the thresher maw's remains, then let out a triumphant roar.

**22. Stride**

The krogan had fought the good fight and lost, crippled not by any amount of turian guns, but by a few salarians in a laboratory. When Urdnot Wrex saw the gaping pit his people were falling into, not even the bombed-out husks littering Tuchanka's surface seemed as bleak.

Nobody else would do something about it, so Wrex did. Developed a strategy towards reclaiming lost krogan glory, shared it with other clan leaders, made alliances. Gunned down old fools who insisted on pointless violence.

And soon, Wrex had a good chunk under his banner. He might pull it off after all.

**23. Stumble**

"You claim to value strength and honor, but look at what you're doing." Jarrod was growling in his face now. "You only make the krogan look weak." He stepped back. "We need to show the damn aliens that the krogan live on. And we'll do so by drowning their worlds in their blood."

Wrex shook his head. "You don't get it, old man."

"That's it. If you won't listen… then you'll die."

The Hollows shook with an ominously small tremor. A dozen krogan—Jarrod's men—burst forth from the ground. Wrex grimaced; the trap he'd been waiting for was sprung.

**24. Leap**

Wrex mustered another biotic shockwave, knocking down a warrior. A slug from his shotgun finished the bastard off. Hearing footsteps from behind, he whirled around and hurled a biotic pulse that impaled another attacker on a rusted pole.

Death rattles in the distance; Jarrod blasted away the throat of Wrex's last warrior. Now it was just Wrex and his father.

He pulled the shotgun's trigger: nothing. He threw it aside and reached for a dagger hooked to his armor. The old man aimed his rifle.

The biotic barrier held against the hundreds of slugs. A second later, Jarrod was dead.

**25. Fall**

The _Rachni Crusher_ trembled as the engines kicked into full power. The sudden acceleration pressed Wrex into the crates he was leaning on. Dusty sky gave way to empty space.

Wrex didn't bother to watch his home—_former_ home—fade into the distance from the viewport. No need to ponder what would become of the krogan either; they were a lost cause. He wished he hadn't taken so long to realize it.

Wrex had tried to help and failed; had risen to the top and fallen to the very bottom.

But Tuchanka was behind him. Now, mercenary work would do.

* * *

Next week: Tali'Zorah nar Rayya - Tides.  
She left home to prove herself, to carve her path in the universe. Instead, she got swept up in the tide.

I always felt that in ME1, Tali's dialog focused way too much on the quarians than herself. It felt like...

Shep: Hey Tali, tell me about yourself.  
Tali: Well, I'm a quarian. My people..... QUARIANS QUARIANS QUARIANS.

I'm gonna try to delve a bit deeper than that next week.

Thanks for reading! Please drop a review and let me know what you think.


	6. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya: Tides

I used a few insights into Tali from Mass Effect 2 to build on her ME1 self. Namely her crush on Shepard and her relationship with her father. Drabble 30 gives a bit of humor while exposing Tali's practical side.

* * *

**Part 6: Tali'Zorah nar Rayya – Tides**

_She left home to prove herself, to carve her path in the universe. Instead, she got swept up in the tide._

**26. Gallant**

"No way. The deal's off."

The cocky glint in the turian's eyes changed to one of malice. He gestured to a pair of armed salarians.

_Bang_

Blood burst from the turian's plated head. One salarian's kinetic barriers exploded. A mass effect field crushed the other.

Tali whirled around to find two human males and one krogan approach her. The man in the lead caught her attention the most: his stance, his expression…

"Fist set me up… I knew I couldn't trust him."

"Were you injured in the fight?" the man asked.

"Gallant" was probably the best word to describe him.

**27. Filial**

Tali found Shepard's ship—_Normandy,_ they called it—amazing. She could spend an hour just watching the frigate's core and its hypnotic waves of element zero.

But at that moment, Tali was thinking of Father.

What would Rael'Zorah have been thinking if he knew that she was aboard an advanced human warship out to save the galaxy from a synthetic race greater than the geth? Would he have praised her for her ambition? Would he have chastised her for not working towards the betterment of the Migrant Fleet?

She sighed, just realizing then how little she knew her own father.

**28. Vexation**

Tali plopped onto a seat at the mess hall, weakly gripping a package of paste. She glanced upwards to find Garrus nibbling on a small bar. "Morning," she said.

"You seem less… springy than usual." The turian eyed her with the prying investigator's gaze. "Is something bothering you?"

"You won't believe the number of times I banged my head against the pod's glass."

"Sleeping problems, then."

Tali tightened her grip on the pack. "This ship is too _quiet_. Deathly quiet. It's like the air filters or the engines have failed." She sighed. "Shepard says I'm homesick."

"I think he's right."

**29. Sublime**

"_Go ahead and make a copy."_ Shepard's words meant the galaxy to her.

Tali stared at row upon row of encrypted data. The progress bar inched towards completion; each new column of pixels boosted her anticipation. She drummed her fingers on the haptic interface.

_Data replication complete._

She almost snatched the OSD from her data transfer bay before reminding herself of what it contained: the key to her people's future. The thought of Father brought back a distant promise.

"_I promise you, I will build a house for you on the homeworld."_

Maybe this data would make that promise reality.

**30. Superficial**

"What do you mean you only have Serrice Fire?"

Tali tilted her head; Shepard seemed uncharacteristically grumpy. "Is the difference between Serrice Fire and Armali Flame that great?"

"Hell yeah." Shepard' gaze remained fixed on the bartender. "Texture, flavor, the kick… Serrice Fire might as well be wine. And I _hate_ wine."

"You're just picky," the volus said. "It only has slightly less alcohol." The red bottle in his hand seemed no different from the one Shepard was carrying around on his birthday.

"Shepard, the difference is superficial."

Shepard shot her a glare. "Tali'Zorah, the difference makes _all_ the difference."

* * *

Next week: Victor Shepard - War Hero.  
The Alliance commemorates his bravery at Elysium. Nobody knows that he was nearly paralyzed with fear.

Week 7 concludes Victor's background trilogy. The other two parts were "Earthborn" (Week 1) and "Enlistment" (Week 4). I think Infiltrators make interesting War Heroes; they're not exactly trained for the front-line attrition that the Blitz throws in their faces.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think.


	7. Victor Shepard: War Hero

Finally, the end of Victor Shepard's background trilogy. After this, there won't be many Shepard-centric weeks in a while.

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* * *

Part 7: Victor Shepard – War Hero**_  
The Alliance commemorates his bravery at Elysium. Nobody knows that he was nearly paralyzed with fear._

**31. No Turning Back**

Second Lieutenant Victor Shepard was not trained for this.

Ten minutes ago, he was getting ready to waste himself on Armali Flame when a hundred assault fighters rained hell upon Elysium. Now, he was rallying the few brave souls who had volunteered to aid the defense.

Victor had been trained for covert ops: sabotage, sniping, infiltration, the subtler things. Not fighting on the front lines, especially not fighting against what seemed like a veritable horde.

Corporal Underwood radioed in. The dropships had just landed.

Victor sent his paltry defense force to their assigned posts. There was no turning back now.

**32. No Backing Down**

Two M-90 Avengers. One M-91a Reaper. Two M-96 Cobras. Five sniper rifles in all, mostly scrounged from what was left of the firearms store. Unfortunately, Victor had only trained with the Avenger. The Reaper had more recoil than he was used to. The Cobras had a faster rate of fire, but lacked the Avenger's stopping power.

No use in whining, though; Victor had to use what he had.

Across the bridge, the only remaining entrance into the colony, gathered a countless number of criminals from every race. Victor peered through the Avenger's scope just as the army began its march.

**33. Nowhere to Run**

Victor's attempts to stifle his own fear went nowhere. The pounding of missiles upon the makeshift barricade of collapsed buildings served as a constant reminder that hell was about to break loose. He knelt on the edge of a roof, sniper rifle in hand. He couldn't help but remember being in the same position four years earlier. Except this time, his targets numbered in the hundreds, and not shooting wouldn't just cost a weapons deal.

His heart jumped as a last barrage of explosives ripped through the barricade. He took aim, knowing full well that there was nowhere to run.

**34. No One to Trust**

_Bang._

A salarian clutched at the new hole in his throat. Victor aimed at the next target, hoping that the Avenger wouldn't overheat with the shot.

"_Underwood to LT Shepard, they're making a huge push on my end."_

_Bang._ The slug tore through a batarian's helmet. Victor ducked behind a crate. "I can't spare anyone. Can you hold them off?"

"_Negative, sir. There's too—"_

Gunfire, then static.

Victor furrowed his brow as a flurry of bullets soared overhead. He emerged from cover and peered into the scope just in time to see a turian point his rifle at him.

**35. No Place to Hide**

Hours later, the overused Cobra smoked as Victor pulled the trigger. He tossed it into the onslaught just before it exploded.

_Bang._

A slug slammed into his abdomen, bringing him to his knees. The wound sapped what strength he had left. Victor turned his head towards his dwindling medi-gel stash and started dragging himself towards it.

Then it came, like roaring thunder. He looked up:

Alliance dropships descended from the sky. And the mere presence of bombers reduced the criminal army into a frightened, fleeing mass.

Victor knew it as well as they did: there was no place to hide.

* * *

Next week: Kaidan Alenko - Burdened.  
Between BAaT training, L2 implants, and the battle on Virmire, he is a man who's had too many burdens.

Along with Wrex, Kaidan was Victor's right-hand man on the battlefield. (And that might have had some influence on Shepard's decision to leave Ashley behind on Virmire.)

Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!


	8. Kaidan Alenko: Burdened

And Week 8. Writing Kaidan was something I never expected to do for a _Mass Effect_ fic, but it was fun anyways.

**

* * *

Part 8: Kaidan Alenko – Burdened**_  
Between BAaT training, L2 implants, and the battle on Virmire, he is a man who's had too many burdens._

**36. A Little Bit of This**

"A bit of _this_ should get the point across."

A mass effect field engulfed Commander Vyrnnus' arm. With what Kaidan guessed was a turian smirk, the ex-merc flung the pulse straight at the group of trainees. Kaidan felt an invisible force lift him off the ground as waves of dark energy danced along his body.

He looked back at Vyrnnus. The turian pulled his arm back and let loose another surge that slammed the BAaT trainees into the wall.

Vyrnnus pointed a talon at Kaidan. "You'll go first."

Kaidan pulled himself to his feet, allowing himself only a small glare.

**37. Anything But That**

It was only after the blow struck when Kaidan realized how powerful of a biotic attack he'd unleashed—and what exactly he had done.

Vyrnnus lay on his back, his head at an unusual angle. Kaidan backed away just as the paramedics arrived, the anger from just moments ago now completely replaced by mortification.

"Kaidan…"

He turned around. Rahna, clutching her broken arm, stared at him with a fear he never saw before in those brown eyes. "You… killed him." He stepped towards her; she stepped back.

Kaidan had tried to defend her, but only drove her away from him.

**38. Not for Nothing**

Shepard placed a hand on the railing. "I'm surprised Conatix never pressed charges."

"They just wanted to keep it silent, to minimize the… diplomatic fallout. Still, they shut down BAaT, sealed the records, everything short of issuing gag orders."

"Ever wish you weren't sent to Jump Zero in the first place?"

"No, sir. I couldn't have ended up on the _Normandy_ otherwise. The past makes you who you are today, that kind of thing." Kaidan noticed a very subtle brow furrow on Shepard's face. "Besides, I've lost count of how many times my biotics saved us back on Feros… sir."

**39. Everything Else**

"Lieutenant?"

Kaidan looked up from his omni-tool calibrations. "Garrus. Something you need?"

"I spoke with Shepard, but I wanted to thank you, too. About what happened with Dr. Saleon." Garrus dropped his gaze for a moment. "I thought about what you said. You were right."

Kaidan remembered the minute he and Shepard spent convincing Garrus to lower the gun he had held to the doctor's head. _"This is about justice, nothing else matters,"_ Garrus had said.

"Glad you've thought it over."

"Yeah. Thanks again, Lieutenant."

"Just remember," Kaidan said as Garrus turned to leave. "Everything else _does_ matter."

"I will."

**40. What Matters Most**

_"She had more to live for."_

_Shepard leaned forward in his chair in the comm room and rested his elbows on his knees. Kaidan glanced at the floor. "Sorry, Commander…" He sighed. "What's done is done."_

Shepard used the logical argument: Kaidan was a superior officer and had valuable biotics. Kaidan tried it for himself. Over and over again, he said to himself that what mattered most was the destruction of Saren's breeding facility. But when Kaidan took the elevator down to the engineering deck and laid eyes on the empty armory…

Well, the logical approach just did not work.

* * *

Next week: Liara T'Soni - Fragments.  
Noveria and Alchera shattered her old life. Now she must pick up and piece together the fragments—if that's even possible.

Even if I like to think Victor Shepard connected with them, I never found anything highly compelling about Tali, Kaidan, or Liara. Liara's week will be a bit of a dip into unknown territory if what I have planned holds up, so I'm interested in seeing out it goes.

Oh, and if I finish next week's set, then I will have officially surpassed _Minute Mayhem_ in completion of this challenge. Whoo-hoo!

Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think.


	9. Liara T'Soni: Fragments

And Week 9. It's official, I've surpassed my _Star Wars_ response to this challenge! *parties* That, and a bunch of other things. I'm almost halfway through, I'm almost done with the ME1 squadmates.... yeah.

* * *

**Part 9: Liara T'Soni – Fragments**_  
Noveria and Alchera shattered her old life. Now she must pick up and piece together the fragments—if that's even possible._

**41. Necklace**

"I've just received a report that says Benezia's on Noveria," Shepard said. "I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to accompany me on this if you don't want to."

"I won't let Benezia's presence stop me from helping you," Liara said. "Even though the person we may find is a twisted mockery of the mother I knew."

After a long silent moment, Shepard nodded and stepped out. Liara returned to her seat and slowly pulled out a glimmering Thessian necklace from one of her pouches.

_"I don't really like it."_

_"Little Wing, it looks beautiful on you."_

**42. Earrings**

_"You should at the very least wear these."_

_Benezia held out a fist, then uncurled her long fingers, revealing a pair of earrings. Each had a curious set of glyphs etched into the gold. "They are a family heirloom, and rumored to have once belonged to Matriarch Dilinaga herself generations ago. I believe the time is right to hand them on."_

_Liara stared at them for a while, captivated by those markings._

_"If you are curious about the text, then I shall gladly tell you what it means. But first, put them on and wear them to Matriarch Aethera's ball."_

**43. Watch**

The beeping of the timekeeper drew Liara's attention away from her computer. Two hours away from the Pax system relay. She sighed; the timekeeper was another gift from Benezia—the last one before they stopped speaking years prior.

_"Before you leave, take this." Benezia placed a small circular object into Liara's hands._

_"A timekeeper?"_

_"I find it a prudent parting gift." Her mother smiled. "I do not wish you to lose yourself in those ancient ruins. Keep your mind in the present and on the future."_

_Liara examined the timekeeper, then looked back up at Benezia and nodded. "I will."_

**44. Belt**

Liara approached her locker on the engineering deck. Inside was a new hardsuit, along with a note. _"I thought this could come in handy. – V. Shepard,"_ it said. The material was incredibly lightweight, and the suit's on-board computer linked with implants and omni-tools.

She reached into the secondary armor compartment and pulled out a belt. It was her constant companion over the years, carrying age-dating materials for all kinds of objects, mineral scanners, everything. Now she slid ammo blocks laced with inactive biotic-disrupting toxins into its pouches. Benezia was on Noveria, and Liara had to be prepared to… kill her.

**45. Ring**

_"Mistress?"_ Nyxeris asked. _"I have received word that a Cerberus vessel registered as _Normandy_ has just docked."_

At the mention of that name, Liara dropped everything and shifted her attention to the communication device on her desk.

_"_Normandy_'s captain is listed as 'Victor Shepard.'"_

Liara closed her eyes. Cerberus had succeeded; Commander Shepard was alive. But at what cost? Did he know of her involvement? If so, did he hate her for it?

As she opened her eyes and laid her hands on the desk, her gaze wandered to her ring and its gem—icy blue, just like Shepard's eyes.

* * *

Next week: Garrus Vakarian - Expectations.  
If he learned one thing from C-Sec, it's to expect the worst. But has he really internalized that lesson?

Garrus is the last ME1 squadmate to cover, then I get into a little more varied territory with the weekly themes I have planned.

Thanks for reading!


	10. Garrus Vakarian: Expectations

HALFWAY THROUGH! *dances* And the last ME1 squadmate, too. Then I can start getting a tad more varied in the weekly themes. This week was an Author's Choice week, so I could make up my own prompts. I chose a Muse reference. I hinted at Victor Shepard's middle name this week; brownie points for anyone who cares enough to make a guess.

**

* * *

Part 10: Garrus Vakarian – Expectations**

_If he learned one thing from C-Sec, it's to expect the worst. But has he really internalized that lesson?_

**46. Hopes**

_Garrus:_

_I certainly hope you're proud of yourself. I return home from a long investigation to find that you've suddenly resigned from C-Sec? Even worse, that you've deigned to join a __Spectre__ on some foolhardy mission to track down and eliminate this Saren? Were you not listening to me? All these years, I have told you that Spectres are trouble. Agents with unlimited power, completely classified files, almost no accountability. Is that what you wish to be, Garrus?_

_I had very high hopes for you, Garrus. Now I realize that my hopes were misplaced._

_Good luck in your hunt._

_Father_

**47. Expectations**

Garrus closed the message. There was nothing in there Father hadn't already said five hundred times.

Still, leaving C-Sec was the best choice. There was no Pallin to demand ridiculous stacks of paperwork, no regulations that prevented Garrus from actually helping people. Garrus used to think C-Sec was the highest, purest authority and relished joining it. Actually working there shattered all his expectations.

Shepard, however, had no red tape or regulations aboard the _Normandy_, just a mandate to bring down Saren. And even though Shepard believed in the "right way" over the quick way, he was a huge step up.

**48. Black Holes**

Shepard started wandering around the engineering deck for the fourth time in two hours. Garrus noted some tension in his stance and expression—at least, what he thought was human tension.

"Commander," Garrus said as Shepard approached. "You've been walking around a lot."

"Pacing helps me relax before a big mission."

Garrus nodded. "Ah. Another human behavior." He rechecked his rifle's calibrations. "All of us could use some relaxation. We _are_ headed for a lost Prothean world to stop a galactic extinction. With slim probability of success. It's like… flying right into a black hole."

"You can say that again."

**49. Revelations**

_Message to "Victor Shepard victor.." returned to sender. Recipient deceased._

Garrus stared at the text for a long time. It had to be a mistake, a glitch in the system. Shepard couldn't possibly be dead, not after everything he had done.

Then, it was as if somebody was listening in on his thoughts. _"The Alliance officially declared Commander Shepard, first human Spectre and Savior of the Citadel, killed in action after the SSV_ Normandy_ was presumably destroyed in the Terminus Systems."_

His grip on his drink loosened at the news report. Garrus lowered his gaze, painfully realizing that heroes die.

**50. Fade Away**

Garrus took aim with his sniper rifle and barely missed the last Blue Sun. With the merc horde gone, a deathly silence overtook the base. He slipped off Archangel's helmet, turned around, and gazed at the sight of ten bodies scattered across the floor.

The people he had laughed, argued, and fought with were dead. Every last one of them. And it was his fault.

He knelt by each corpse and closed its eyes. A rush of memories—recruitment, combat, strategizing—assailed him each time he did it.

At that point, Garrus Vakarian wanted nothing more than to fade away.

* * *

Next week: Jeff "Joker" Moreau - Moments.  
He was selected to helm the _Normandy_ because he's the best. And he damn well doesn't have to prove it.

I can't wait to write next week. It'll be a nice break from all the angst from the Kaidan, Liara, and Garrus weeks, plus I finally get to progress the Victor/Joker subplot. Technically, I could write it whenever, but trying to write everything in one burst led to a burnout for my _Star Wars_ response to the challenge. Must... practice... restraint!

Thanks for reading!


	11. Jeff Moreau: Moments

YESS the week I've been waiting to write. (I have this all planned out, you see--a luxury I didn't have in the _Star Wars_ response to the Ultimate Drabble Challenge.) Zero angst, zero drama, just pure Joker.

**

* * *

Part 11: Jeff "Joker" Moreau – Moments**_  
He was selected to helm the _Normandy_ because he's the best. And he damn well doesn't have to prove it._

**51. Bite the Bullet**

Joker hated going to the bathroom.

Especially when he ended up falling and breaking a leg or two, turning a three-minute bathroom break into a one-hour trip to the good doctor.

She was probably yapping about "being more careful" and "paying more attention," his best guess at the muddled sounds coming out of the doctor's mouth as she worked on putting his bones back together.

Making out words was hard when the treatment involved _unbearable, nerve-burning pain._

Between the "shits" and "dammits" and pained grunts and gasps, Joker was pretty sure he asked Chakwas for a bullet to bite on.

**52. Break the Ice**

"So, Commander, anyone waiting for you back home?"

Shepard shook his head. "Never knew my parents. My only real family was my old gang. My last—and only, so far—relationship ended when I left." He glanced over his shoulder. "I don't want to keep Pressly waiting any longer. Talk to you later."

"All right, see ya."

As Shepard left, Joker looked at his console and found himself grinning. So the man was single. Still, there was always that one really annoying obstacle when it came to guys—_wait._

"Idiot." Crushing on a commanding officer was a Really Bad Idea.

**53. Knock on Wood**

"Well, it's not impossible, considering the commander's… uh, _preferences._"

Joker blinked. "Wait, so you're saying…"

Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "I thought everyone here knew. It's not a big deal, but it's no secret. Considering how much time he spends up here, you of all people should've known."

"Huh." Joker would never have guessed.

"So yes, you might have a chance. _But,_" he said with a grin, "the Alliance still has regs against _fraternization_."

He _had_ to play the regs card. Joker shrugged it off; it was just another crush anyways. Still, he wished the _Normandy_ had wood to knock on.

**54. Off the Hook**

Ash slammed her useless cards on the table. "How the hell did you beat me again?"

Joker smirked, sliding the credit chit towards his end. "You just suck at quasar."

"That's it, we're playing poker. Prepare for a royal ass-kicking."

Shit. Joker dominated in quasar, but not in old games. He didn't want to lose his hard-earned credits, but he couldn't back down from Ash's challenge.

_"The commanding officer is aboard. XO Pressly stands relieved."_

"Saved by the commander." Joker collected his winnings and stood.

Ash glowered at him. "You're off the hook for now. But next time, you're toast."

**55. Back Seat Driver**

Joker returned Shepard's nod as the commander led his small army of seven out the airlock. Destination: wonderful Noveria, where the corporations were colder than the icy planet they resided on.

The airlock hissed shut, the VI made its usual announcement. Finally, the downtime Joker had been looking forward to had arrived.

So he pressed a haptic button on his console. His earpiece gave a beep in acknowledgement. A few more keystrokes, and the sounds of people having a _good time _soon filled his ears.

Luckily, Shepard let Joker have the bridge to himself. He didn't need a backseat driver.

* * *

Next week: Saren Arterius - Herald.  
To the geth, he's the herald of their god. To the galaxy, he's the face of the enemy. To himself, he's...

"Knock on Wood" was partially inspired by a scene in _KotOR2_: Atton's conversation with Bao-Dur on Atton's "chances" with the Fem!Exile.

Now for next week, I'm taking a bit of a tangent in regards to the summary I keep posting: "blab blah blah exploring Victor Shepard and the people serving under him." But I looked at the themes for the week and thought "hey, Saren fits this pretty well." So yeah. Thanks for reading!

And I read recently that the 5th UDC will start next month. In a word? Uh-oh. That doesn't mean I'll start rushing to finish this; I learned my lesson from the last time I did that. Instead, I'll try working on them simultaneously.

I'm thinking the next UDC response will feature Hunter Shepard (Victor's near-polar opposite) and have a bit more focus on him than this one has on Victor. That means there'll be a lot of M!Shep/Ashley and a bit of M!Shep/Miranda. And hopefully, I'll get weeks that will fit the characters who won't get featured here.


	12. Saren Arterius: Herald

This week, I take a small break from the "forces of good" and dip into the other side of things.

* * *

**Part 12: Saren Arterius – Herald**_  
To the geth, he's the herald of their god. To the galaxy, he's the face of the enemy. To himself, he's…_

**56. Saint**

Three hundred years earlier, the geth rebelled against their quarian creators and banished them from their homeworld. The galaxy firmly believed that the geth would never obey any organic ever again.

He had proven them wrong.

He stood on a rooftop, watching the burning carnage as the synthetics razed Eden Prime and its human inhabitants to the ground. They acted exactly as he had ordered them to, enacted his tactics and strategies with immense precision.

The geth obeyed him to the letter. For them, he was the voice of their immortal god, their evolutionary destiny.

_Saren Arterius was their saint._

**57. Sinner**

"I wasn't expecting to find the geth here. The situation's bad."

Nihlus did not turn to face him, instead transfixing his gaze on the burning colony around them. Saren reached for his pistol.

A part of him wanted Nihlus to turn around, to see the gun being aimed at his head. He would have been surprised, at least for a fraction of a second, but his training would have kicked in. He would have fought and died with dignity.

Saren dismissed the notion; foolish honor.

"Don't worry. I have it all under control."

_Saren Arterius was a betrayer, a sinner._

**58. Savior**

"You were a Spectre." Shepard paused for a moment, as if he thought doing so would let those words sink in. A useless attempt. "You were sworn to defend the galaxy. Then you broke that vow to save yourself."

"I'm not doing this for myself."

Saren had used every reason, laid down every card, yet the human remained defiant. He clung to that fool's notion that he could somehow stop the Reapers, that he could be the galaxy's savior. What made the concept of unstoppable power so difficult for him to comprehend?

_Saren Arterius would be the galaxy's true savior._

**59. Killer**

Saren almost lazily shot a keeper as he strode through the Council chamber. A platform rose to meet his feet. At the end of it stood a console: the station's master controls.

Outside, Sovereign and the geth fleet tore through the Citadel's crumbling defenses. All over the station, the geth slaughtered anything that moved. Saren's hands were not bloodied, either; how many had he killed to achieve his—Sovereign's—goals?

Thousands may die today, he reminded himself, but how many more would live because of his actions?

_Saren Arterius was a killer, but he would kill thousands to save trillions._

**60. Martyr**

"I'm sorry. It is too late for me."

A thousand whispers assailed Saren's thoughts, attempting to snuff out the part of him that had found truth in Shepard's words. _"Kill him."_ The command weighed down on him like a hundred galaxies.

Shepard rolled out of cover. "It's not over yet. You can still end this and redeem yourself."

And somehow, Saren believed him. It was too late for him, but the galaxy could still earn a chance at existence, at freedom. He slowly raised his pistol to his head.

"Goodbye, Shepard. Thank you."

_Saren Arterius would not be a martyr.

* * *

_

Next week: Noveria to Alchera - Left Behind.  
Noveria. Virmire. The Citadel. Alchera. When great people die, others are always left to mourn.

The next week is the first (and one of the few) weeks not revolving around a single character. Instead, it's based around a theme. I've covered a lot of character deaths so far; the next week explores those deaths from a different perspective. Based on the locations named above, you can guess which deaths those are.


	13. Noveria to Alchera: Left Behind

Another week I've been waiting to get to. Again, not so much emphasis on one individual character. Instead, these drabbles are centered around previously explored deaths from different perspectives. This week can also be called "Death Week." I think it's appropriate for Week 13.

* * *

**Part 13: Noveria to Alchera – Left Behind**_  
Noveria. Virmire. The Citadel. Alchera. When great people die, others are always left to mourn._

**61. Hold Back the Darkness**

Benezia slumped forward and fell still, hopelessness frozen into her face. Liara knelt, closed Benezia's eyes, and took her hand.

Countless memories with her mother came rushing back to her. The necklace and the earrings for the ball, the timekeeper and the goodbye. The tears proved too difficult to blink back.

A hand on her shoulder. "I'll give you a few moments," Shepard said.

"No light?" Benezia had said. In her last moments, she felt her faith had failed her. She was wrong; she did not see the light because she _was_ the light. The light holding back the darkness.

**62. Take a Stand**

The engineering deck was a lot quieter, maybe too quiet for Wrex's tastes. No clicking of weapons or console keys, no faint murmurs.

Williams left a huge hole.

It took her death for Wrex to realize how damn different she was from the other humans. She was blunter than Alenko, she was more fiery than Shepard. That made her death all the more fitting.

She had been left behind, surrounded by geth that didn't stop coming. But she fought to the death, never faltering and never surrendering.

Williams took a stand and died like a true krogan; Wrex respected that.

**63. When You're Lost**

Being pinned under Sovereign's remains left Victor with broken ribs in the _Normandy_'s medical bay. He could do nothing but think about the past few days.

When Victor urged Saren to redeem himself, he had expected him to give in to Sovereign's commands. Instead, the turian thanked him, put a gun to his head, and pulled the trigger. Maybe indoctrination wasn't absolute. Maybe Saren's will was stronger than anyone had expected.

Or maybe… Saren was lost. His old life had rejected him. He had rejected his new one. What was left for him to do but to end it all?

**64. No Solid Ground**

Kaidan immediately regretted stepping into the escape shuttle.

Shepard's orders were orders; that should have been enough for any soldier. But just like on Virmire, leaving someone behind twisted Kaidan's stomach into knots. From outside the tiny viewport, he saw the _Normandy_ burn. And Shepard and Joker were still aboard.

He watched, mesmerized, as the enemy closed in on the crippled wreck. Yellow light gathered at the monstrous ship's bow, then death rained down upon the _Normandy._

They were Kaidan's closest friends; they had to survive. And unlike Virmire, there was no solid ground to catch them if they fell.

**65. There's Only Us**

For those fleeting seconds, there was only Joker and Shepard.

A thousand things assaulted Joker's senses. The sight of particle beams ripping his ship to pieces. The feel of Shepard's grip on his arm and waist as he dragged Joker. Flames tearing through metal. The impact of Joker's back against the escape shuttle's walls.

Then the worst. Explosions flung Shepard away, slammed him against a bulkhead. Through the man's visor, Joker saw the look of someone resigned to die.

"Shepard!" He screamed like the word could pull his commander—_his friend_—back.

The shuttle doors slid shut. Shepard was gone.

* * *

Next week: Jeff "Joker" Moreau - Ghosts  
He believes Victor Shepard died because of him, and not even two years is enough to erase the scars of survivor's guilt.

"There's Only Us" is a direct lead-in to Week 14. To me, Week 14 is set up to be the angstiest of them all. But on the bright side, there's more progression of the Shepard/Joker subplot. Also, Week 14 will fully transition "Mass Mayhem" into ME2.


	14. Jeff Moreau: Ghosts

Angsty week has arrived! The first drabble picks up a few minutes after the last drabble of last week; the benefits of being able to plan the response. That's an advantage I won't have when the next UDC starts around next week.

While the first Joker week (Moments) had no angst, this one is full of it.

* * *

**Part 14: Jeff "Joker" Moreau – Ghosts**_  
He believes Victor Shepard died because of him, and not even two years is enough to erase the scars of survivor's guilt._

**66. Whispering**

Shepard was gone.

Joker's eyes remained fixed on the shuttle doors. Shepard couldn't be gone. He couldn't just die like that. It had to be some sick mistake, it had to—

No. It was _Joker's_ sick mistake. Shepard was de—_gone_ because Joker stayed behind trying to save the _Normandy_.

Shepard's death was all his fault.

He didn't see his omni-tool appear around his arm. He didn't hear Kaidan calling him, asking if he was all right and if Shepard was with him.

Under the crushing weight of his mistake, Joker only stared at the doors and whispered his denial.

**67. Haunting**

_"Never thought I'd say it, but this stuff isn't bad."_

_Shepard grinned. "It's an acquired taste. I had to down a few bottles' worth before I started liking it." He poured himself another shot. "Not all at once, though. Couldn't have myself dying of alcohol poisoning."_

_Joker downed his shot. "You? Dying period? Nah."_

_An explosion split them apart. A suddenly armored Shepard was slammed into the ship's crumbling walls. Joker found himself in an evac shuttle._

_The doors slid shut._

Joker jolted awake. He sat up and laid his head in his hands, wanting nothing more than to scream.

**68. Lingering**

Chakwas raised her glass. "To the greatest commander, marksman, hacker, and friend we had the privilege of knowing."

Joker followed suit. "To Commander Victor Shepard."

A year had passed since Alchera; he should have moved on. But when he downed the man's favorite drink without him, he found that the guilt still lingered.

He kept going back to the evac shuttle.

So Joker drank in Shepard's memory. He drank to a friendship that meant more to him than Shepard knew. He drank to a little crush that became something more than he ever expected.

And he drank to missed chances.

**69. Echoing**

"Joker, you're being transferred to the Lazarus cell for this mission."

The Illusive Man spoke with that smug, knowing bastard tone Joker hated. "You may have heard rumors about their special project. For two years, the Lazarus cell has worked to bring one very specific, very important person back from the dead."

Those echoing words drew Joker's full attention.

"Someone you know well."

A flurry of images appeared around the Illusive Man's chair. The largest one showed a medical bay, and on the bed lay… Joker stared, dumbfounded, unbelieving.

The Illusive Man smirked. "Your commanding officer will be Commander Shepard."

**70. Murmuring**

Just follow the murmuring, Joker said to himself as he hobbled down the stairs.

_"… even started, and you're telling me what to do?"_

It sounded just like him.

_"All right, what's the other thing?"_

Joker took a few more steps.

There he was. Joker stood there, just taking in the sight of a man two years dead. Joker shook his head; now wasn't the time to get all sentimental. He needed to be the Joker from the man's memories, after all. He took a deep breath and put on his best smirk.

"Hey Commander, just like old times, huh?"

* * *

I labeled this week as "Angst Week," but it does end on a happy note. It also serves as a build-up to "Constants," which itself is a build-up to something coming later in "Mass Mayhem." Credits to Rise Against and their awesomesauce song "The Good Left Undone" for providing musical muse fuel.

_All because of you,  
I haven't slept in so long.  
When I do I dream of drowning in the ocean,  
Longing for the shore where I can lay my head down,  
Inside these arms of yours._

Finally, "Lingering" has a ton of foreshadowing, to obvious stuff and to some not-so-obvious stuff. You'll see.

Next week features the first of the ME2 squadmates. I won't be able to feature them all (only three have been given weeks), but I'll try to delve into the others in "Mass Mayhem 2," my response to the upcoming UDC5.

I cannot begin to say how excited I am to start that thing, by the way. Take a nice break from writing Victor, start delving into Hunter Shepard's story and hopefully develop him (and his relationships/romances with Ashley and Miranda) as much as I did Victor and his Jokermance. I actually had to restrain myself from writing Hunter Shepard one-shots so I had more stuff to work with. Let's just hope that the themes I'm given will fit what I have in mind.


	15. Miranda Lawson: Breaking Chains

First of the ME2 squad members. This week kinda rehashes IG events, but I thought the themes really fit Miranda for this week, so why the hell not? She'll be featured in more original content in "Chains."

* * *

**Part 15: Miranda Lawson – Breaking Chains**_  
Chained to her father's dreams, all she wanted was a future for herself._

**71. Restrained**

Father didn't even bother to look up from his computer. "I expect you to have completed your studies, which as always includes total memorization of whatever subject matter your teachers have given you, by tonight."

Miranda opened her mouth as if to speak.

"And don't bother asking for free time. When you take over the business, you'll have little 'free time' anyways. And few friends, too." Father took a sip of his tea. "I suggest you get used to it now." When he finally looked up, it was at the servant near the door. "Samuel, escort Miranda to her study."

**72. Controlled**

_Bang bang_

The bullets made their mark; the last two guards crumpled to the floor.

A hail from gunfire from behind signaled reinforcements. She waved her hand, creating a biotic barrier in front of the guards to buy time, then made a break for it.

The walls of the Lawson estate were impossibly tall. Father had snipers posted along the top. That wouldn't stop her.

She dropped the previous barrier and formed a new one around her. Then, with her strongest biotic pulse, she vaulted over the wall and ran into the night.

Miranda refused to be controlled any longer.

**73. Defined**

"I'm glad you've decided to join us."

The Illusive Man sipped whatever beverage was in his glass. "And after your experiences at home, I could think of no better place for you than Cerberus. Until now, your life has been defined on your father's terms."

Miranda nodded. The Illusive Man was right.

"But at Cerberus, you'll take charge of the future. You'll shape not only yours, but also humanity's." A strange glint entered his undoubtedly artificial eyes. "I don't want you to think it will be easy, because it won't. Are you prepared for that?"

Her answer came immediately. "Yes."

**74. Resolved**

"My sister is safe again, thanks in large part to you. I won't forget that."

Returning to her desk, Miranda watched Shepard leave. She wanted to do something for him; he had done a great deal for her. Then she remembered. _"You're one of my crew. I don't need anything from you in return."_

What about Cerberus? Would they have done what Shepard did?

Maybe. They took care of their operatives. But in doing so, they always found some way to strengthen the organization.

It was something to think about. For now, Miranda resolved to help Shepard complete the mission.

**75. Unlimited**

"I gave you an order, Miranda."

Miranda could hardly believe herself. She was defying the Illusive Man.

She had come to Cerberus to break the chains binding her to Father. It took years—it took serving under Shepard—for her to realize that she had become chained to Cerberus. The Illusive Man didn't free her; he had merely replaced Father.

With Shepard, her future was unlimited.

And humanity didn't need the Collector base to defeat the Reapers, because humanity's future—and its potential—was unlimited, too.

"I noticed. Consider this my resignation." And with that, she cut off the link.

* * *

Next week: _Normandy_ - Fleeting Peace  
The Normandy faces the unknown and impossible odds. But aboard the ship, not everything is as serious.

As I said, there'll be more Miranda in "Chains." For now, next week in "Mass Mayhem" features the minor characters aboard the _Normandy_ like Kelly, Chakwas, and others. Don't worry, the Shepard/Joker subplot will pick up in a bit. Thanks for reading!


	16. Normandy: Fleeting Peace

This is the second of the non-character-specific weeks, featuring Kelly, EDI, Joker, Gardner, Ken, and Chakwas with cameos by Shepard, Goldstein, Hawthorne, and Jack. It's a bit all over the place, with serious and not-so-serious stories. Somehow I managed to squeeze in a hint of the Shep/Joker plot, too.

* * *

**Part 16: **_**Normandy**_** – Fleeting Peace**_  
The _Normandy _faces the unknown and impossible odds. But aboard the ship, not everything is as serious._

**76. Bend Over Backwards**

Kelly Chambers turned around. "Thank you, Commander, I had a wonderful evening."

Shepard remained at the doorway. "I should be thanking you."

"It was no problem."

They said their "good evening"s, and Kelly stepped into the elevator. Shepard had invited her up for dinner. Not a date, of course, but just a chance to talk. Surprisingly, there were things he was more comfortable speaking about with her than with Joker.

She felt honored. Out of everyone aboard, Shepard confided in her. Their working relationship had come a long way; she was certain that they would bend backwards for each other.

**77. Axe to Grind**

EDI needed more data.

"I believe a human resource adjustment is in order. The _Normandy_ requires a pilot who integrates well with the ship's on-board systems. Our most recent conversations prove that you do not fulfill this criterion."

Mr. Moreau's brow furrowed. "What? You're saying you want to fire me?" EDI detected even more agitation in his tone of voice than before.

"Precisely, Mr. Moreau." Another scan showed another increase in reaction time.

"That's it. I'm hitting the mute."

Overall, Mr. Moreau exhibited a fifteen-percent increase in performance, a significant enough improvement to warrant such provocations on a regular basis.

**78. Rise and Shine**

Rupert Gardner knew all about the talk of the ship. If there was one thing the crew bellyached the most about, it was his so-called shit cooking.

But they wouldn't whine about it anymore. With the new provisions Shepard picked up at the Citadel, Gardner would make sure that they would actually look forward to eating.

And just on time were Goldstein and the biggest whiner, Hawthorne.

"Rise and shine," Gardner said, pretty much slamming the two trays of sausages, hash browns, and scrambled eggs on the mess table.

Something about their stunned expressions told Gardner that he had succeeded.

**79. Tongue and Cheek**

Secret Agent Kenneth Donnelly was on a mission. Well, more like a dare from Gabby.

The objective: retrieve Cerberus data files stolen by a bald biotic woman. The location: one floor below the engine room.

He crept into Jack's hidey-hole and saw the objective scattered around the floor near her bed. Something about the eerie red lights made Ken want to leave as soon as possible. He glanced around. Nobody was home.

Ken tiptoed towards the datapads, snatched them, and made his way out.

Or not.

An invisible force yanked him into the air. "What the fuck are you doing?"

**80. Without a Doubt**

Doctor Chakwas stepped back from the sickbed and sighed. The worst of Hawthorne's injuries had been finally treated.

That allowed her time to just stop and reflect on recent events: the geth joining Shepard's squad, her abduction by the Collectors, watching countless colonists suffer horrible deaths, Shepard's timely rescue, the destruction of the Collector base, and the break with Cerberus.

Initially, Chakwas feared some sort of backlash or mass desertion. Yet most of the crew had no qualms about leaving the organization, even the loyalists like Gardner or Miranda. There was no doubt; after everything, their loyalty lay with Shepard.

* * *

Next week: Jack - Flames.  
Underneath the countless tattoos lies a woman whose wanting for something more burns like a flame.

Jack is another one of those characters (like several of the ME1 squadmembers) I would've never written about if it weren't for the UDC. She's not my favorite of the ME2 squadmembers (that spot falls to Kasumi), and I wouldn't romance her, but she seems to be an interesting character to write.


	17. Jack: Flames

ME2 squadmember #2: Jack. As with Saren and Miranda, the themes for this week just fit her perfectly.

* * *

**Part 17: Jack – Flames**_  
Underneath the countless tattoos lies a woman whose wanting for something more burns like a flame._

**81. Yearning**

_He stopped at the street corner and gestured to whatever was around it. "We're here."_

_Furrowing her brow, she stepped up next to him. Before them was one of those crap prefabs, the kind that blended in with everything else. "The hell's this?"_

_"Home. I promised I'd set one up for us."_

_He took her hand. Instinct told her to recoil, but for some reason, she let him lead her inside._

Jack's eyes snapped open. The metal, the immobility prompted an automatic reaction. She forced her arm free and pulled at the restraint on her neck. Time to break out.

**82. Jealousy**

_"How's it going down here?"_

_"Still checking out your ship." Jack took a wide glance of the bottom deck, then stood and leaned on one of the large pipes. "Wouldn't mind putting her through her paces."_

_Shepard folded his arms. "Joker wouldn't be too happy about that."_

That fucking pilot.

Every time Shepard mentioned his name made it obvious that they were an item. Or at least, he was eyeing him up, whether Shepard knew it or not. It wasn't the guy-on-guy part that pissed her off; it was how… how…

She just wished Shepard would shut up about him.

**83. Possession**

The weight of the Teltin facility crashed down on Jack the moment she stepped inside. Her breathing quickened; her gaze snapped left and right; her grip on her shotgun tightened.

Grunt tossed her an amused chuckle. "Don't lose your nerve now."

She returned it with a glare.

The facility still had the same suffocating effect from all those years ago, even in its current condition. After being drugged and tortured there for years, the scars would of course linger.

Cerberus treated her like an object, like a possession. She couldn't wait to set the bomb and blow the place up.

**84. Addiction**

With a roar, Jack charged past Grunt, her fists charged with biotic energies. Vorcha flooded the balcony in a pathetic attempt to protect their leader. What Shepard didn't snipe, she flung out of the way. Finally, only the krogan remained.

The krogan's biotic barriers rippled under heavy fire. Jack exploited the opening as soon as it appeared. She ensnared him in a mass effect field, then slammed him into the wall.

Then she was on him, warping, punching, and tearing. Within a minute, the krogan had been reduced to a lump of flesh. And she loved every second of it.

**85. Wanting**

An almost undetectable pang among the usual sounds drew Jack's attention to a dark corner. Her hand inched towards her pistol.

"It's me."

"The hell are you doing here?"

"Shepard locked Port Observation. You don't want to know why." Kasumi stepped out of the shadows and sat on the table. "I heard about Pragia. Do you think blowing it up helped?"

Jack shot her a glare. "I don't need a fucking counselor. The place is a crater. It's done." She was lying, of course. She had gone to Pragia to find answers. She succeeded, but she also found more questions.

* * *

Next week: Thane Krios - Palette.  
_Artists use many colors to create their masterpieces. He is no exception._

I originally had this week planned as "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy - Affections," focusing on Tali's very one-sided crush on Shepard. Then I thought, "would a prompt titled 'Addiction' _really_ fit Tali? Hell, no," and scrapped that trainwreck of an idea. Besides, Tali already had a week.

Also, you can tell that the Shep/Joker plot is actually going somewhere when it starts leaking into other weeks. There's two incidents of that here. "Wanting" makes a reference to another quick thing I've decided to head-canonize, though the thing described in the drabble is a different incident from the one described in "Overhead View."


	18. Thane Krios: Palette

When I looked at themes, I instantly thought of Thane's "Fight for the Lost" trailer from way back. "Killing is an art, and I am a master." (Though I expected him to say "I am an artist" when I first watched it.)

**

* * *

Part 18: Thane Krios – Palette**_  
Artists use many colors to create their masterpieces. He is no exception._

**86. Red**

Thane had heard stories of the krogan: their ancient rebellion, their monstrous strength, their legendary blood rages. Fitting that his masters sent him to kill a krogan for his first assassination. More so, a clan leader.

One chance. That was all he had. If his aim was off, even by a little, it would be over for him. But he had little to fear; the hanar had trained him well. One chance was all he needed.

Thane peered into his scope, letting the image of his first kill make its mark on his memory: the krogan with a red plate.

**87. Brown**

_Laser-dot trembles on the target's skull._

He saw their mouths move, their lips form pleas for mercy and cries of pain. He heard nothing but the latter. The former meant as little to him as his family did to them.

_The smell of spice on the spring wind._

For one trained to kill as quickly and cleanly as possible, he found prolonging a kill and inflicting pain surprisingly easy. A shot aimed a degree lower. Slowing down the insertion of a knife.

_Sunset eyes defiant in the scope._

Thane let the brown blood of Irikah's murderers drown the cold floor.

**88. Black**

Though he had prayed to Kalihira in the same way for years, Thane did so with the same intensity as the first time. A final plea for her forgiveness rolled off his thoughts as he looked up at the three before him. A human female and a turian male flanking a human male, Shepard, clad in midnight black armor.

"Prayers for the wicked must never be forsaken."

"Nassana and her men deserved what they got."

"Not for her. For me." Thane looked back at who he hoped would be his last kill. Nassana Dantius, the asari in the black dress.

**89. Yellow**

"Drell. Useless. Insufficient numbers."

Thane ducked behind cover as a biotic lance rushed overhead. A beep in his earpiece; _"Take down Harbinger,"_ Shepard said. He glanced aside at Kasumi and Grunt. The three exchanged nods.

The krogan vaulted onto Harbinger's platform, and the thief vanished from sight. As Thane rose to scope the possessed Collector, Grunt hammered its biotic barriers with a crack of his shotgun. Kasumi de-cloaked and delivered a charged omni-tool strike.

_Now_. Thane pulled the sniper rifle's trigger. The Collector's head exploded; its burning body turned to ash. Those soulless yellow eyes were the last to vanish.

**90. Blue**

"It's strange. I've spent most of my life working alone, yet I feel like I belong aboard this ship, working with this crew."

Samara, seated next to Thane in Starboard Observation, nodded. "I echo your sentiments."

Thane gazed out the window. "And I've been thinking. If I am to survive this mission, if I am fated to die of my disease, then I wish to visit Kahje again before then." He then looked at the justicar. "Would you come with me? I would like you to see the beauty of its waves, experience its blue depths."

"I would love to."

* * *

Next week: Commander and Pilot - Forged.  
One of them is just realizing his feelings. The other missed his chance the last time and won't make that mistake again.

"Black" showcases another bit of Victor's Paragade-ness (the first was #5 in Week 1, with Victor shooting Finch). He hated Nassana's guts after she manipulated him into offing her slaver sister, so he acted with a lot of hostility when they had their "reunion."

As for "Blue," I think I've converted to a Thane/Samara shipper. Well, Thane/Samara friendship, really. Those two have a ton in common. "Blue" was originally gonna have Thane ask Shep about going to Kahje, but I figured that if I was gonna whine about ME2 not having enough squadmember interaction, then I would write that.

Also, IT'S FINALLY COMING. The actual slash in this whole damn thing, the thing that "Constants" was leading up to. I'm getting excited just thinking about it.

And I bring good news. The idea for the sequel to "Mass Mayhem," "Chessboard," has been finalized, and I'll start writing it very soon.

Expect:  
- Action.  
- Batman!Shepard (AKA action scenes inspired by Nolan's Batman movies).  
- An actual, focused plot.  
- A small teaser at the end of "Mass Mayhem."


	19. Commander and Pilot: Forged

IT'S HERE! The moment some of you might have been waiting for. Shepard and Joker finally start things off. The first drabble is kind of a direct continuation of "Constants." You might wanna scan that over if you haven't read it, but that could be just me shamelessly promoting myself.

I updated yet another day early; I've decided that I want no overlap between writing "Mass Mayhem" and writing "Chains".

* * *

**Part 19: Commander and Pilot – Forged**_  
One of them is just realizing his feelings. The other missed his chance the last time and won't make that mistake again._

**91. Forever**

Joker found Shepard in an empty mess hall. He needed to know if telling him how he felt about Alchera—how he felt about _him_—changed anything.

"Commander?"

Shepard looked up.

"Uh… sorry about yesterday. Didn't mean to… well…"

Silence as the man approached him. "That isn't necessary. Besides, we didn't finish that conversation."

"What?"

Shepard answered that by stepping closer, leaning in, and kissing him.

That moment seemed to last forever. Joker kinda wanted it to. Shepard eventually stopped, however. "I… guess we'll talk later?"

Joker nodded, still dumbstruck. "Yeah…"

Shepard gave him an awkward smile and walked off.

**92. Always**

Victor tightened his grip on the red bottle. Same deal: he had Armali Flame in his hand, and Joker had no clue that Victor was just behind him.

The same, but also not the same.

After a few awkward seconds switching his focus between Joker and the bottle, he decided "to hell with it" and approached the cockpit. "Joker."

The pilot didn't seem too startled that time. "Commander." His gaze drifted downwards at the bottle, then a grin drew across his face.

Victor mirrored Joker's smile. "You ready?"

"I'm always ready."

Maybe things weren't as different as Victor first thought.

**93. Never**

Funny? Awkward? Embarrassing? Victor couldn't quite describe the situation. Yet again was Joker oblivious to his presence in the cockpit, but this time, the sound of a moaning female had been added to the mix.

What could he say? Turn that off?

No.

"Porn, Joker? Is our relationship threatening your manliness?"

A button press silenced the audio. A long silence before Joker turned his chair around.

"Uh… never?"

Victor flashed him a smile. He found Joker being awkward… cute? He wasn't sure if he had ever described a guy with that word before. The use felt a little weird. "Good."

**94. Maybe**

A long mission on Neith left Victor with late-night munchies. Only Joker was present in the mess, standing in front of the coffee machine.

"You think they'd make faster coffee makers." Joker looked up. "Oh. Hey, Victor." A small pause. "Nice outfit. Sick of playing Cerberus poster boy?"

Victor glanced down at his navy Alliance fatigues. "They were a gift from—" Something clicked. "_Wait_. Did you just…"

"Use your name?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you have a name." Joker leaned on the counter. "If someone's gonna use it, it should be me. Right? Right?"

After a moment, Victor shrugged. "Maybe… _Jeff._"

**95. Eternity**

The elevator ride to the Captain's cabin might as well have taken an eternity.

He responded to the invitation casually: _"Who'd turn down sex with Commander Shepard?"_ But Joker appreciated the step Victor was taking; the man's last relationship was thirteen years ago.

A part of Joker still couldn't believe that Victor had gone for him, of all people.

The elevator door finally opened. He stepped out and in front of the cabin's door. When it opened as well, he found Victor standing by the desk with the same nervous smile as when they first kissed.

"Hey," Victor said.

"Hey."

* * *

Next week: Commander and Pilot - Endgame.  
Both of them are determined to finish the mission. And both of them are determined to come out on the other side. Together.

And cue "Reflections." This week was a joy to write, especially after having each scene in my head this whole time.

Having to cut so many little details out of "Forever," "Maybe," and "Eternity" due to word limits frustrated me like hell when I was writing them. On the other hand, "Never" and "Maybe" had me chuckling the whole time I was writing them. "Never" was based on this moment from ME2, while "Maybe" took its inspiration from how every single person ever calls the PC "Shepard" or "Commander." Also, mods: I have Victor wear Alliance fatigues in-game thanks to them. And all the drabbles had me grinning like an idiot.

The final week is upon us. Time flies; it doesn't seem that long ago when I started Week 1. While this week focuses on the fun side of the Shep/Joker romance, the next week is a bit more serious and dramatic. Actually, a lot more, since it's about the suicide mission. And it will probably do a better job of portraying the actual relationship (I personally think that "Forged" doesn't dig very deeply - something that a "Beyond Limits" one-shot will take care of.)

Remember back in Week 14, when I said that there was foreshadowing in "Lingering?" Yeah, well, there was obviously the foreshadowing to the relationship, but Joker referring to Shep by his first name foreshadowed the first-name-basis established in "Maybe."

Now, for a small bit of "Chessboard" previewage:

* * *

**Chessboard: Teaser**

_"Don't think it's favoritism. If word suddenly leaked out that you were discharged or demoted or forced to take leave, they'll know why: the Hero of Elysium did something wrong. They'll dig, they'll prod. Maybe they'll get an inkling of what happened._

_"The asari, turians, and salarians have their heroes. What will they think of humanity when they find that our heroes are capable of failing as you did?_

_"But I can't let your negligence go unpunished. I had hoped that a successful completion of this mission would let me make a final decision. Instead, your promotion to Staff Lieutenant will be withheld until you can prove that Elysium wasn't a fluke."_

- Rear Admiral Anna Whitwell to First Lieutenant Victor Shepard, 2178 CE

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	20. Commander and Pilot: Endgame

Let's just get right on with it. It was another Author's Choice week, so I got to choose my own themes.

* * *

**Part 20: Commander and Pilot – Endgame**_  
Both of them are determined to finish the mission. And both of them are determined to come out on the other side. Together._

**96. Embark**

The Omega 4 relay. Hundreds—maybe thousands—of ships had passed through it, none had returned. Victor remembered Garrus' analogy from before Ilos: _"It's like flying right into a black hole."_ From the monitor among Joker's flight controls, the red-orange speck grew bigger and brighter, until the relay's familiar hairpin shape became recognizable.

"Approaching Omega 4 relay," Joker said. "Everyone stand by."

Victor took a breath and forced himself to stop pacing; time to be Commander Shepard the soldier, not Victor the man. Placing a hand on Joker's shoulder, he gave the pilot a brief nod. "Let's make it happen."

**97. Depart**

Joker watched Victor herd his team out the airlock. When he was the last one aboard, Joker forced himself out of his chair and hobbled to him. "Victor?"

"Hm?"

"You're… coming back, right?"

Victor dropped his gaze. "Honestly, I don't know."

"Guess that makes 'promise me you'll come back' a waste of time." Joker scratched his head. "Uh, look. In case… well, you know." Something told him that this wasn't the time, but he went ahead anyways. "I want to tell you that I l—"

"Joker." Victor's voice wavered. "Please." He gave Joker one last, long look before leaving.

**98. Fight**

Victor slipped in and out of his cloak, dispatching Collector after Collector with his Locust at point-blank. Behind him, Grunt, Miranda, and Zaeed covered Tali as she worked on opening the vent valves for Legion.

He ducked into cover and found himself thinking back to the cockpit.

_"I want to tell you that I l—" "Joker. Please."_

He didn't want to fight with those words Joker was so close to saying in his head. He wanted no distractions. Instead, cutting Joker off had the opposite effect.

Maybe he was unsure if he could get himself to say the same.

**99. Flight**

"Jeff, I do not recommend—"

"I know what I'm doing. Just keep her close to those platforms."

"Very well. Opening airlock."

The airlock opened to a bloody field of dead Collectors. Among the corpses, Miranda and Thane ran from another swarm of enemies, with Victor in the distance. Joker aimed the rifle and rained as much hell on the Collectors as he could, ignoring the pain in his arms.

Miranda, then Thane leapt onto the _Normandy_. Joker continued firing. If the squad was going to survive, then Victor was sure as hell going to make it out alive, too.

**100. Return**

Joker just finished patching up a scorched grate in the hangar when a navy speck in the corner of his eye drew his attention. He looked up. "Hey."

"Don't tell me you're gonna shower me with praise, too." Victor's smile seemed more the tired, relieved kind than the proud one. "Everyone else has."

"Not praise with words."

Victor shook his head, chuckling, then stopped. "Anyways, I wanted to apologize for… what happened in the cockpit before I left." He took a deep breath, cracking an awkward smile. "I love you."

Joker put on his best Han Solo smirk. "I know."

* * *

**Mass Mayhem – Coda**

"They're late," Miranda said, shifting in her white blouse. It was nice to be out of her Cerberus uniform, but not wearing the tight-fitting garment felt rather strange. Still, she'd rather not parade the organization's logo. C-SEC didn't need to think Cerberus operatives had rented out Dark Star for a secret operation under the cover of a party.

Jacob fidgeted with his shot as he leaned on the bar. Kasumi stood right next to him, to Miranda's minor annoyance. "Shepard probably ended up dragging Joker into bed."

"Don't make fun of them," Chambers said with a small smile. "They're really cute together. Sometimes you see them, and you just want to go up and give them a hug."

Jacob smirked. "I think that's just you."

"And as a professional, I'd say it's great for their health."

Miranda took her attention away from the conversation and looked around the club. Most of the ex-Cerberus crewmen were dancing to the pulsing electronic beats, while Jack and Grunt seemed on the verge of breaking out into a fist fight. The rest of the squad had broken up into small groups: Mordin, Garrus, and Tali; Thane and Samara. Zaeed and Legion were in their own corners.

She glanced at the door, wondering how long Joker needed to drag Shepard over.

-o-o-o-

Joker blinked, his jaw dropping slightly. Maybe it was because he was used to seeing Victor in military fatigues or armor, but the man looked pretty damn good in his outfit. Gray jacket over a dark red shirt. Black, just slightly slim pants with a _chain dangling down the side_ and black shoes. Joker, wearing just a t-shirt, pants, and of course his SR2 hat, felt a little underdressed. "Uh…"

"What?" Victor asked.

"Okay, who buys your clothes?"

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Jack," he said, deadpan. "Because you wouldn't know it from the belt-bra she used to wear, but she's a fashion queen."

"Ha, ha, very funny. Took you long enough, now let's go."

Joker stepped into the elevator, Victor in tow. "You still haven't told me where this party is."

"You'll see."

-o-o-o-

"You see all those women eyeing you up?"

"You know I don't pay attention to that. It's kind of annoying, anyways."

The two of them made their way past the Zakera Ward crowds. Joker, of course, spent the walk to Dark Star making sure Victor didn't walk too far ahead and people-watching.

"Too bad. No one would ever think that the great action hero Commander Shepard would date a crippled guy. You know…" Joker shot him a knowing grin. "People write weird stories about you all over the extranet. Most of the time, you're paired up with the sexy femme fatale fighting at your side."

Victor returned his smile. "Little do they know…"

"But some girls write you screwing Kaidan."

"_Kaidan._" Victor snorted a laugh. "You're kidding."

"Nope. Want me to send you some links?"

"He's the complete opposite of my type."

"You mean me?"

"Who else?"

Joker hailed a rapid transit shuttle. They were the ultimate lazy person's way of moving from one floor to the other, but he'd rather not risk tripping on stairs and turn a party into a hospital trip.

-o-o-o-

The turian bartender slid a shot glass across the bar towards Miranda. "You don't go to Dark Star just for champagne, miss."

"He's right," Jacob said.

Miranda gave the two a pointed stare. "I prefer _not_ drinking away all my self-control. I'll leave that to Shepard… when he gets here."

Jacob shrugged. "Fair enough." He almost took a sip of his drink when Kasumi grabbed his wrist and dragged him off, probably to the dance floor.

Miranda glanced at the cluster of Armali Flame and Serrice Ice bottles behind the bar. The sight brought back the memory of when Shepard shared a drink with Chakwas. Of course, Miranda had to step out of her office to refill her glass of water, only to find Shepard drunkenly flirting with pretty much everyone on the deck.

"Sorry we're late."

She looked to the door. "It took you long enough."

Joker shrugged. "Victor takes as long to dress as a woman."

Shepard tossed him a light glare. "al-Jilani tried stopping me for an interview. Tried giving me crap about my so-called 'Cerberus affiliations.' I swear she's out to get me."

"She is," Miranda said. "Anyways…" She nodded at the bartender, who placed the first bottle of Armali Flame on the bar. Shepard's eyes light up. "Don't get too intoxicated right away, we'll be here for a while."

"That'll be hard," Joker said.

"There's cake, too."

Shepard blinked. "Cake?"

Joker stepped up next to Miranda. "Did I not tell you about his massive sweet tooth? I swear, once he starts…"

"It's his party." Miranda glanced at Shepard, who was downing a second shot already. "He deserves at least a little spoiling, after everything."

"Just make sure there's enough for all of us."

"Of course." As Joker joined Shepard's side for drinks, Miranda offered, "Enjoy the party."

* * *

Next: Chessboard  
When Commander Victor Shepard vanishes from the Normandy, his crew must find him and uncover the reasons-and the secrets and plots-behind his disappearance.

IT'S OVER. IT'S OVER. "Mass Mayhem" is finally FINISHED. I go "whoo-hoo" at this.

Okay, time for pretentious, obnoxious drabble comments:

"Embark" shows how Victor views himself as a pretty compartmentalized person. There's Commander Shepard the hero/soldier/badass, then there's Victor, the normal man. More on why he thinks that way in "Chessboard." But that shoulder-touching suggests that his "personas" aren't really as separate as he thinks.

"Depart" was probably the hardest drabble out of all 100 to write. Not because of the word limits, but because of the contents. I spent a day figuring out how to have Joker try telling Shep that he loves him without veering OOC. And I'm still not sure if how I did it works well enough.

"Fight" shows off a bit of Batman!Shep. "Flight" is there because no suicide mission rehash is complete without Joker with an assault rifle.

The "Coda" shows Victor Shepard's one deviation from the Straight Gay trope: being at least somewhat well-dressed. His casual outfit was inspired by (but not identical to) Jr.'s outfit from _Xenosaga III_. But Victor's is a lot less boyish-looking.

Fortunately (?), this isn't the end for Victor Shepard fics. "Chessboard" is coming, and once I get it beta'd, I'll post up the first part. What else to expect, given the summary I gave you above? Squad interaction. Lots of it!

Anyways, thanks for sticking through this thing 'til the end. Hopefully, it might've been a little worth it.

Keep an eye out for "Chessboard!" /selfpromotion


End file.
